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The 4 Best SF Giants Moments From 2020

By Marc Delucchi

SF Giants shortstop Brandon Crawford (right) is congratulated by third base coach Ron Wotus (23) for hitting a solo home run against the San Diego Padres during the second inning of game one of a double header at Oracle Park. (Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports)
SF Giants shortstop Brandon Crawford (right) is congratulated by third base coach Ron Wotus (23) for hitting a solo home run against the San Diego Padres during the second inning of game one of a double header at Oracle Park. (Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports) /
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SF Giants, Hunter Pence
Hunter Pence #8 of the SF Giants rounds third after a three-run home run in the seventh inning against the Houston Astros at Minute Maid Park on August 11, 2020 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Tim Warner/Getty Images) /

Best 2020 SF Giants Moments:
3. Hunter Pence’s Pinch Hit Home Run vs. Houston

I know it’s weird to think about now, but Hunter Pence started the season on the Giants roster. While he would struggle, eventually be released, and officially retire before the season’s end, he still delivered Giants fans one more great moment.

On August 11th, Pence was slashing a meager .063/.118/.125. Failing to deliver, manager Gabe Kapler left him on the bench against Houston Astros starter Brandon Bielak. Tyler Anderson, the Giants starter, allowed four runs across five innings of work and Rico Garcia was unable to limit the damage, allowing the Astros to build a 6-2 lead heading into the seventh inning.

Chadwick Tromp and Yastrzemski each worked walks to reach base for Alex Dickerson, but with left-handed reliever Blake Taylor on the mound, Kapler sent Pence as a pinch hitter instead. Pence fell behind in the count and seemed doomed for another strikeout, but on a 1-2 pitch, he blasted an opposite-field home run that brought the Giants within a run. They would go on to tie the game in the ninth and win it in the tenth on a Darin Ruf single, which was set up by another Pence hit.

Best 2020 SF Giants Moments:
2. Alex Dickerson’s Three-Home Run Game

Easily the best achievement by any Giants player this season, Alex Dickerson had a historic night in the team’s 23-5 victory against the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field on September 1st. Dickerson had gotten off to a slow start, but the Giants coaching staff believed he was on the cusp of breaking out.

In the Giants’ biggest win of the year, Dickerson finished 5-6 with three mammoth home runs, two doubles, and six runs batted in. In fact, one of his doubles traveled far enough to be a home run at any ballpark other than Coors but ultimately fell just a few feet short of being his fourth big fly.

Dickerson’s five-extra-base-hit performance was the first in Giants history. Now, Dickerson has done something offensively that even Barry Bonds, Willie Mays, and Willie McCovey were never able to do in a Giants uniform. Of course, in such a large win, Dickerson’s performance may not have been the most important of the season, but it was undeniably the most impressive single-game performance.

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